Group Gets Defense Conversion Grants

The group in charge of helping Ventura County deal with its dwindling defense economy has been awarded nearly $3 million in grants by the U.S. Commerce Department.

On Monday, Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor announced that two grants have been awarded to the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County. One, for $2 million, is a revolving loan to be used to assist businesses and individuals affected by defense cuts to start businesses in key areas identified by the Ventura Defense Partnership. The second grant, for $800,000, will be used to provide staff for the defense partnership and help it implement key aspects of defense conversion.

Since the federal government began closing and cutting back military bases in recent years, 400 jobs have been lost at Point Mugu Navy base, Ventura County Supervisor Frank Schillo said. The grants announced Monday will help the county make up for some of those losses, he said.

The conversion grants are part of the federal agency’s Economic Development Administration plan to help communities overcome the effects of defense downsizing.

“The grants put us in business. This allows us to create jobs in the county,” Schillo said. “We couldn’t have done it without the Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Administration grant.”